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Topic: Teachers (07/12/04)
TITLE: Teachers Are A Gift From God! By Michael Isaacks 07/16/04 |
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And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;" (Ephesians 4:10-11 KJV)
"And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher" (Ephesians 4:10-11 The Message)
"This also means that the one who went deep into the earth is the same one who went into the highest heaven, so that he would fill the whole universe.
Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers," (Ephesians 4:10-11 CEV)
Okay. so maybe I'm a little biased when it comes to teachers since I am one (Sunday School where I teach an adult Bible College course), but I believe the we in the body of Christ sometimes overlook this gift of God. We esteem all the other members of the "Five Fold Ministry", apostles, prophets, evangelists (or missionaries), and pastors, but we stop there right before we get to teachers. The Bible college course I am currently teaching defines teachers as:
"Those given special ability to explain and interpret the truth of God's revelation."
I had gone to church for years and never knew I had the God given gift of teaching. I brag here, not on me, but on God. God's perfect timing put me in the place I needed to be in, in the church I needed to be in, at the time I needed to be there, to activate this gift in my life. And while I'm here on this subject, let me briefly mention the importance of submission to authority in your church and how you can be blessed by it. This all started when I myself started taking the Bible college courses (I still do.) While taking the course, the Lord led the teacher who taught the courses at that time to have me fill in for her when she could not attend class. She later became a missionary to Trindad and I am now a teacher. Had I not submitted to the authority of my Sunday School teacher, I would not be where I am in God today.
This Sunday, hug your Sunday School teacher and tell him or her how much you appreciate them and the gift God has placed in them. Same goes for school teachers when school starts back.
Teachers need to know that they are a chosen gift from God!